What Impact Does Research-Related Motivation Have on the Level of Preservice Teachers' Research Competence?

• In Event: Division H International Committee Symposium. Bridging the Research-Practice Gap: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Teachers' and Schools' Engagement With and in Research

Abstract

Objectives: Despite the ever-growing body of knowledge about research-informed decision processes in education, only little is (still) known about teachers’ actual research-related competencies (RC) and how its development is impacted by individual characteristics. In this paper, findings from two studies of German pre-service teachers’ will be presented with regard as to whether such RC can be predicted by motivational attitudes.

Theory: Research and the use of research evidence have been identified as key to quality improvement in education. Developing the competencies of educators to purposefully access, reflect and use research (Educational Research Literacy = ERL, cf. Groß Ophoff et al., 2017) should thus be seen as critical, but proves to be challenging in educational practice. This is even more remarkable as the state of knowledge about actual RC and how it can be supported remains unsatisfactory, even though assessment instruments have been developed in recent years. In this context, competence is defined as a context-specific cognitive disposition that is, amongst other things, influenced by motivational factors, and can therefore be (further) developed through goal-oriented learning opportunities. Therefore, in line with Expectancy-Value theory (Eccles & Wigfield, 1995) it is assumed that the acquisition of ERL is affected by motivational beliefs regarding the subjective value of educational research and the expected success of an engagement with evidence.

Methods: The reported findings are based on two consecutive cross-sectional studies at German universities offering teacher education study programs (2014, Study 1: 122 students/3 institutions; 2019-2021, Study 2: 298 students/10 institutions). Data was collected via a standardised competency test for the assessment of ERL in combination with attitudinal questionnaires (a.o. scales for the subjective value of educational research and the expected success). The data was and will be further analysed based on latent regression analysis.

Results: According to findings from Study 1, teacher training students perceive both the subjective value of educational research and the expected success of an engagement with evidence as rather moderate. The level of ERL can particularly be predicted by the perceived value of evidence (β = .16, p < .05). Preliminary analysis of Study 2 data indicated that the findings from Study 1 can be replicated, as the subjective value emerges again as a significant predictor of ERL (β = .35, p < .05).

Significance
Results from both studies highlight the importance of not only imparting knowledge and competencies, but also of initiating research-related motivation for a quality, and therefore more consequential use of evidence in education. This is all the more important, as teachers are responsible to empower future citizens to be able to separate fact from fiction, too.

References
Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (1995). In the mind of the actor: The structure of adolescents' achievement task values and expectancy-related beliefs. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21(3), 215-225.
Groß Ophoff, J., Wolf, R., Schladitz, S., & Wirtz, M. (2017). Assessment of Educational Research Literacy in higher education. Construct validation of the factorial structure of an assessment instrument comparing different treatments of omitted responses. Journal for Educational Research Online, 9(2), 35–66.

Author

• Jana Groß Ophoff, University College of Teacher Education Vorarlberg
  Presenting Author